US4720434A - Composite material including silicon carbide and/or silicon nitride short fibers as reinforcing material and aluminum alloy with copper and relatively small amount of silicon as matrix metal - Google Patents

Composite material including silicon carbide and/or silicon nitride short fibers as reinforcing material and aluminum alloy with copper and relatively small amount of silicon as matrix metal Download PDF

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US4720434A
US4720434A US06/901,196 US90119686A US4720434A US 4720434 A US4720434 A US 4720434A US 90119686 A US90119686 A US 90119686A US 4720434 A US4720434 A US 4720434A
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approximately
composite material
silicon
bending strength
silicon carbide
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Masahiro Kubo
Tadashi Dohnomoto
Atsuo Tanaka
Hidetoshi Hirai
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Toyota Motor Corp
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C49/00—Alloys containing metallic or non-metallic fibres or filaments
    • C22C49/02—Alloys containing metallic or non-metallic fibres or filaments characterised by the matrix material
    • C22C49/04—Light metals
    • C22C49/06—Aluminium
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/12—All metal or with adjacent metals
    • Y10T428/12014—All metal or with adjacent metals having metal particles
    • Y10T428/1216—Continuous interengaged phases of plural metals, or oriented fiber containing
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/12—All metal or with adjacent metals
    • Y10T428/12486—Laterally noncoextensive components [e.g., embedded, etc.]
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/29—Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand, strand portion, rod, filament, macroscopic fiber or mass thereof
    • Y10T428/2982—Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]
    • Y10T428/2991—Coated
    • Y10T428/2993—Silicic or refractory material containing [e.g., tungsten oxide, glass, cement, etc.]

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a composite material made up from reinforcing fibers embedded in a matrix of metal, and more particularly relates to such a composite material utilizing silicon carbide or silicon nitride short fiber material, or a composite reinforcing fiber material made thereof, as the reinforcing fiber material, and aluminum alloy as the matrix metal.
  • JIS standard AC8A (from about 0.8% to about 1.3% Cu, from about 11.0% to about 13.0% Si, from about 0.7% to about 1.3% Mg, from about 0.8% to about 1.5% Ni, remainder substantially Al)
  • JIS standard AC8B (from about 2.0% to about 4.0% Cu, from about 8.5% to about 10.5% Si, from about 0.5% to about 1.5% Mg, from about 0.1% to about 1% Ni, remainder substantially Al)
  • JIS standard AC4C (Not more than about 0.25% Cu, from about 6.5% to about 7.5% Si, from about 0.25% to about 0.45% Mg, remainder substantially Al)
  • AA standard A201 (from about 4% to about 5% Cu, from about 0.2% to about 0.4% Mn, from about 0.15% to about 0.35% Mg, from about 0.15% to about 0.35% Ti, remainder substantially Al)
  • AA standard A356 (from about 6.5% to about 7.5% Si, from about 0.25% to about 0.45% Mg, not more than about 0.2% Fe, not more than about 0.2% Cu, remainder substantially Al)
  • JIS standard 6061 (from about 0.4% to about 0.8% Si, from about 0.15% to about 0.4% Cu, from about 0.8% to about 1.2% Mg, from about 0.04% to about 0.35% Cr, remainder substantially Al)
  • JIS standard 5056 (not more than about 0.3% Si, not more than about 0.4% Fe, not more than about 0.1% Cu, from about 0.05% to about 0.2% Mn, from about 4.5% to about 5.6% Mg, from about 0.05% to about 0.2% Cr, not more than about 0.1% Zn, remainder substantially Al)
  • JIS standard 2024 (about 0.5% Si, about 0.5% Fe, from about 3.8% to about 4.9% Cu, from about 0.3% to about 0.9% Mn, from about 1.2% to about 1.8% Mg, not more than about 0.1% Cr, not more than about 0.25% Zn, not more than about 0.15% Ti, remainder substantially Al)
  • JIS standard 7075 (not more than about 0.4% Si, not more than about 0.5% Fe, from about 1.2% to about 2.0% Cu, not more than about 3.0% Mn, from about 2.1% to about 2.9% Mg, from about 0.18% to about 0.28% Cr, from about 5.1% to about 6.1% Zn, about 0.2% Ti, remainder substantially Al)
  • the inventors of the present application have considered the above mentioned problems in composite materials which use such conventional aluminum alloys as matrix metal, and in particular have considered the particular case of a composite material which utilizes silicon carbide short fibers or silicon nitride short fibers as reinforcing fibers, since such silicon carbide or silicon nitride short fibers, among the various reinforcing fibers used conventionally in the manufacture of a fiber reinforced metal composite material, have particularly high strength, and are exceedingly effective in improving the high temperature stability and strength.
  • the present inventors as a result of various experimental researches to determine what composition of the aluminum alloy to be used as the matrix metal for such a composite material is optimum, have discovered that an aluminum alloy having a content of copper and a content of silicon within certain limits, and containing substantially no magnesium, nickel, zinc, and so forth is optimal as matrix metal, particularly in view of the bending strength characteristics of the resulting composite material.
  • the present invention is based on the knowledge obtained from the results of the various experimental researches carried out by the inventors of the present application, as will be detailed later in this specification.
  • a composite material comprising short fibers, the material of each one of which is selected from the class made up of silicon carbide and silicon nitride, embedded in a matrix of metal, said metal being an alloy consisting essentially of between approximately 2% to approximately 6% of copper, between approximately 0.5% to approximately 3% of silicon, and remainder substantially aluminum.
  • the fiber volume proportion of said silicon carbide short fibers may be between approximately 5% and approximately 50%; and more preferably the fiber volume proportion of said silicon carbide short fibers may be between approximately 5% and approximately 40%.
  • the short fibers may be substantially all composed of silicon carbide; or, alternatively, substantially all said short fibers may be composed of silicon nitride; or, alternatively, a substantial proportion of said short fibers may be composed of silicon carbide while also substantial proportion of said short fibers are composed of silicon nitride.
  • silicon carbide short fibers or silicon nitride short fibers which have high strength, and are exceedingly effective in improving the high temperature stability and strength of the resulting composite material
  • matrix metal there is used an aluminum alloy with a copper content of from approximately 2% to approximately 6%, a silicon content of from approximately 0% to approximately 2%, and the remainder substantially aluminum
  • the volume proportion of the silicon carbide short fibers or the silicon nitride short fibers is desirably from approximately 5% to approximately 50%, whereby, as is clear from the results of experimental research carried out by the inventors of the present application as will be described below, a composite material with superior mechanical characteristics such as strength can be obtained.
  • the volume proportion of silicon carbide short fibers or silicon nitride short fibers in a composite material according to the present invention may be set to be lower than the value required for such a conventional composite material, and therefore, since it is possible to reduce the amount of silicon carbide short fibers used, the machinability and workability of the composite material can be improved, and it is also possible to reduce the cost of the composite material. Further, the characteristics with regard to wear on a mating member will be improved.
  • the strength of the aluminum alloy matrix metal is increased and thereby the strength of the composite material is improved, but that effect is not sufficient if the copper content is less than 2%, whereas if the copper content is more than 6% the composite material becomes very brittle, and has a tendency rapidly to disintegrate. Therefore the copper content of the aluminum alloy used as matrix metal in the composite material of the present invention is required to be in the range of from approximately 2% to approximately 6%.
  • the strength of the aluminum alloy matrix metal is thereby increased and thereby the strength of the composite material is improved, but that effect is not sufficient if the silicon content is less than 0.5%, whereas if the silicon content is more than 3% the composite material becomes very brittle, and has a tendency rapidly to disintegrate. Therefore the silicon content of the aluminum alloy used as matrix metal in the composite material of the present invention is required to be in the range of from approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%.
  • the wear resistance of the composite material increases with the volume proportion of the silicon carbide or silicon nitride short fibers, but when the volume proportion of the silicon carbide short fibers is in the range from zero to approximately 5% said wear resistance increases rapidly with an increase in the volume proportion of the silicon carbide or silicon nitride short fibers, whereas when the volume proportion of the silicon carbide or silicon nitride short fibers is in the range of at least approximately 5%, the wear resistance of the composite material does not very significantly increase with an increase in the volume proportion of said silicon carbide or silicon nitride short fibers.
  • the volume proportion of the silicon carbide or silicon nitride short fibers is required to be in the range of from approximately 5% to approximately 50%, and preferably is required to be in the range of from approximately 5% to approximately 40%.
  • the copper content of the silicon content of the aluminum alloy used as matrix metal of the composite material of the present invention has a relatively high value, if there are unevennesses in the concentration of the copper or the silicon within the aluminum alloy, the portions where the copper concentration is high will be brittle, and it will not therefore be possible to obtain a uniform matrix metal or a composite material of good and uniform quality. Therefore, according to another detailed characteristic of the present invention, in order that the concentration of copper and silicon within the aluminum alloy matrix metal should be uniform, such a composite material is subjected to liquidizing processing for from about 2 hours to about 8 hours at a temperature of from about 480° C.
  • silicon carbide short fibers may either be silicon carbide whiskers or silicon carbide non continuous fibers, and such silicon carbide non continuous fibers may be silicon carbide continuous fibers cut to a predetermined length.
  • silicon nitride short fibers are used in the composite material of the present invention, these silicon nitride short fibers similarly may be either silicon nitride whiskers or silicon nitride non continuous fibers, and such silicon nitride non continuous fibers may be silicon nitride continuous fibers cut to a predetermined length.
  • the fiber length of the silicon carbide or silicon nitride short fibers is preferably from approximately 10 microns to approximately 5 cm, and particularly is from approximately 50 microns to approximately 2 cm, and the fiber diameter is preferably approximately 0.1 micron to approximately 25 microns, and particularly is from approximately 0.1 micron to approximately 20 microns.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preform made of silicon carbide or silicon nitride short whisker material, with said silicon carbide or silicon nitride short whiskers being aligned substantially randomly in three dimensions, for incorporation into composite materials according to various preferred embodiments of the present invention;
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional diagram showing a high pressure casting device in the process of performing high pressure casting for manufacturing a composite material with the FIG. 1 silicon carbide or silicon nitride short whisker material preform incorporated in a matrix of matrix metal;
  • FIG. 3 is a set of graphs in which silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for the first set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the volume proportion of reinforcing silicon carbide whisker type short fiber material was approximately 30%), each said graph showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage copper content of in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 4 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 1 relating to its said certain preferred embodiments, showing a preform made of silicon carbide or silicon nitride non continuous fiber material enclosed in a stainless steel case one end at least of which is open, with said silicon carbide or silicon nitride non continuous fiber being aligned substantially randomly in two dimensions and being stacked in layers in the third dimension perpendicular to said two dimensions, for incorporation into composite materials according to other various preferred embodiments of the present invention;
  • FIG. 5 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3 for the first set of preferred embodiments, in which silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain ones of the second set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the volume proportion of reinforcing silicon carbide non continuous fibers was approximately 40%), each said graph showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 6 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3 for the first set of preferred embodiments and FIG. 5 for said certain ones of the second preferred embodiment set, in which silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain other ones of the second set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the volume proportion of reinforcing silicon carbide non continuous fibers was approximately 20%), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 7 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3 of the first set of preferred embodiments and FIGS. 5 and 6 for the second set of preferred embodiments, in which again silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for the third set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the volume proportion of reinforcing silicon carbide non continuous fibers was now approximately 15%), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 8 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3 for the first set of preferred embodiments, FIGS. 5 and 6 for the second set of preferred embodiments, and FIG. 7 for the third set of preferred embodiments, in which again silicon content is percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain ones of the fourth set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the volume proportion of reinforcing silicon carbide whisker type short fibers was now approximately 10%), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 9 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3 for the first set of preferred embodiments, FIGS. 5 and 6 for the second set of preferred embodiments, FIG. 7 for the third set of preferred embodiments, and FIG. 8 for said certain ones of the fourth set of preferred embodiments, in which again silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain other ones of the fourth set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the volume proportion of reinforcing silicon carbide whisker type short fibers was now approximately 50%), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 10 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, and FIGS. 8 and 9 for the first through the fourth sets of preferred embodiments respectively, in which again silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain ones of the fifth set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the volume proportion of reinforcing silicon nitride whisker type short fibers was approximately 40%), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 11 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, and FIGS. 8 and 9 for the first through the fourth set of preferred embodiments respectively, and FIG. 10 for said certain ones of the fifth set of preferred embodiments, in which again silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain other ones of the fifth set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the volume proportion of reinforcing silicon nitride whisker type short fibers was now approximately 30%), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 12 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, and FIGS. 8 and 9 for the first through the fourth sets of preferred embodiments respectively, and FIGS. 10 and 11 for said certain ones and said certain other ones respectively of the fifth set of preferred embodiments, in which again silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain further other ones of the fifth set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the volume proportion of reinforcing silicon nitride whisker type short fibers was now approximately 20%), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 13 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, FIGS. 8 and 9 and FIGS. 10 through 12 for the first through the fifth sets of preferred embodiments respectively, in which again silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain ones of the sixth set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the volume proportion of reinforcing silicon nitride whisker type short fibers was now approximately 10%), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 14 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, FIGS. 8 and 9 and FIGS. 10 through 12 for the first through the fifth sets of preferred embodiments respectively, and to FIG. 13 for said certain ones of the sixth set of preferred embodiments, in which again silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain other ones of the sixth set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the volume proportion of reinforcing silicon nitride whisker type short fibers was now approximately 5%), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 15 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, FIGS. 8 and 9, FIGS. 10 through 12, and FIGS. 13 and 14 for the first through the sixth sets of preferred embodiments respectively, in which again silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain ones of the seventh set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the total volume proportion of reinforcing mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short fibers was now approximately 20%, and said silicon carbide and silicon nitride fibers were mixed approximately in an even one to one ratio), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 16 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, FIGS. 8 and 9, FIGS. 10 through 12, and FIGS. 13 and 14 for the first through the sixth sets of preferred embodiments respectively, and to FIG. 15 for certain ones of the seventh set of preferred embodiments, in which again silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain other ones of the seventh set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the total volume proportion of reinforcing mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short fibers was now approximately 30%, and said silicon carbide and silicon nitride fibers were mixed approximately in a three to one ratio), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 17 is a set of graphs, similar to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, FIGS. 8 and 9, FIGS. 10 through 12, FIGS. 13 and 14, and FIGS. 15 and 16 for the first through the seventh sets of preferred embodiments respectively, in which again silicon content in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for the eighth set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention (in which the total volume proportion of reinforcing mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short fibers was now approximately 10%, and said silicon carbide and silicon nitride fibers were mixed approximately in a one to three ratio), each said graph similarly showing the relation between silicon content and bending strength of certain composite material test pieces for a particular fixed percentage content of copper in the matrix metal of the composite material;
  • FIG. 18 is a graph relating to a first set of tests in which the fiber volume proportion of reinforcing silicon carbide short fiber material was varied, in which said reinforcing fiber volume in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain ones of a ninth set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention, said graph showing the relation between volume proportion of the reinforcing silicon carbide short fiber material and bending strength of certain test pieces of the composite material;
  • FIG. 19 is a graph, similar to FIG. 18 for said first set of tests, relating to a second set of tests in which the fiber volume proportion of reinforcing silicon nitride short fiber material was varied, in which said reinforcing fiber volume in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain other ones of said ninth set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention, said graph similarly showing the relation between volume proportion of the reinforcing silicon nitride short fiber material and bending strength of certain test pieces of the composite material; and:
  • FIG. 20 is a graph, similar to FIGS. 18 and 19 for said first and second sets of tests, relating to a third set of tests in which the fiber volume proportion of reinforcing mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride short fiber material was varied, in which said reinforcing fiber volume in percent is shown along the horizontal axis and bending strength in kg/mm 2 is shown along the vertical axis, derived from data relating to bending strength tests for certain further other ones of said ninth set of preferred embodiments of the material of the present invention, said graph again showing the relation between volume proportion of the reinforcing mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride short fiber material and bending strength of certain test pieces of the composite material.
  • the reinforcing material of which is to be, in this case, silicon carbide short fibers the present inventors manufactured by using the high pressure casting method samples of various composite materials, utilizing as reinforcing material silicon carbide whisker material of type "Tokamax" (this is a trademark) made by Tokai Carbon K.K., which had fiber lengths 50 to 200 microns and fiber diameters 0.2 to 0.5 microns, and utilizing as matrix metal Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloys of various compositions. Then the present inventors conducted evaluations of the bending strength of the various resulting composite material sample pieces.
  • silicon carbide whisker material of type "Tokamax" (this is a trademark) made by Tokai Carbon K.K.
  • a set of aluminum alloys designated as A1 through A42 were produced, having as base material aluminum and having various quantities of silicon and copper mixed therewith, as shown in the appended Table; this was done by, in each case, introducing an appropriate quantity of substantially pure aluminum metal (purity at least 99%) and an appropriate quantity of alloy of approximately 50% aluminum and approximately 50% copper into a matrix alloy of approximately 75% aluminum and approximately 25% silicon.
  • an appropriate number of silicon carbide whisker material preforms were made by, in each case, subjecting a quantity of the above specified silicon carbide whisker material to compression forming without using any binder. Each of these silicon carbide whisker material preforms was, as schematically illustrated in perspective view in FIG.
  • an exemplary such preform is designated by the refernce numeral 2 and the silicon carbide whiskers therein are generally designated as 1, about 38 ⁇ 100 ⁇ 16 mm in dimensions, and the individual silicon carbide whiskers 1 in said preform 2 were oriented substantially randomly in three dimensions. And the fiber volume proportion in each of said preforms 2 was approximately 30%.
  • each of these silicon carbide whisker material preforms 2 was subjected to high pressure casting together with an appropriate quantity of one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 described above, in the following manner.
  • the preform 2 was heated up to a temperature of approximately 600° C., and then said preform 2 was placed within a mold cavity 4 of a casting mold 3, which itself had previously been preheated up to a temperature of approximately 250° C.
  • the molten aluminum alloy was caused to percolate into the interstices of the silicon carbide whisker material preform 2.
  • the following post processing step were performed on the composite material samples. Irrespective of the silicon content of the aluminum alloy matrix metal: those of said composite material samples whose matrix metal had a copper content of less than approximately 2% were subjected to liquidizing processing at a temperature of approximately 530° C. for approximately 8 hours, and then were subjected to artificial aging processing at a temperature of approximately 160° C. for approximately 8 hours; those of said composite material samples whose matrix metal had a copper content of at least approximately 2% and not more than approximately 3.5% were subjected to liquidizing processing at a temperature of approximately 500° C. for approximately 8 hours, and then were subjected to artificial aging processing at a temperature of approximately 160° C.
  • each of the line graphs of FIG. 3 shows the relation between silicon content (in percent) shown along the horizontal axis and the bending strength (in kg/mm 2 ) shown along the vertical axis of certain of the composite material test pieces having as matrix metals aluminum alloys with percentage content of silicon as shown along the horizontal axis and with percentage content of copper fixed along said line graph, and having as reinforcing material the silicon carbide fibers specified above.
  • the bending strength of the composite material was significantly greater than when the silicon content was either at the low extreme of approximately 0% or at the high extreme of approximately 4%. And, particularly in the case that the copper content had a relatively low value within the range of approximately 2% to 4%, the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was approximately 2%. On the other hand, in the particular case that the copper content had a relatively high value within the range of approximately 5% to 6%, the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was between approximately 0.5% and approximately 1%. Accordingly, it will be understood that it is considered to be preferable for the silicon content to be between approximately 0.5% and approximately 3%.
  • the values in FIG. 3 are generally much higher than the typical bending strength of approximately 60 kg/mm 2 attained in the conventional art for a composite material using as matrix metal a conventionally so utilized aluminum alloy of JIS standard AC4C and using a similar silicon carbide short fiber material as reinforcing material.
  • the bending strength values are between approximately 1.4 and approximately 1.6 times the typical bending strength of approximately 60 kg/mm 2 attained by the above mentioned conventional composite material.
  • the copper content of said Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloy matrix metal should be in the range of from approximately 2% to approximately 6% while the silicon content of said Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloy matrix metal should be in the range of from approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%.
  • the reinforcing material of which is to be, in this next case, silicon carbide non continuous fibers the present inventors manufactured by using the high pressure casting method samples of various further composite materials. Since no suitable non continuous silicon carbide fibers as such are currently being made by any commercial manufacturer, the present inventors settled upon utilizing as reinforcing material silicon carbide non continuous fiber material which they themselves produced by cutting silicon carbide continuous fibers of type "Nikaron" (this is a trademark) made by Nihon Carbon K.K., which had fiber diameters 10 to 15 microns, to lengths of about 5 mm. Further, in these various composite material samples, there were utilized as matrix metal Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloys of the forty two previously specified compositions A1 through A42. Then the present inventors conducted evaluations of the bending strength of the various resulting composite material sample pieces.
  • A1 through A42 substantially the same aluminum alloys designated as A1 through A42 were produced, having as base material aluminum and having various quantities of silicon and copper mixed therewith, as described before and summarized in the appended Table.
  • an appropriate number (actually 84) of silicon carbide non continuous fiber material preforms were made by, in each case, subjecting a quantity of the above specified silicon carbide non continuous fiber material to compression forming while using polyvinyl alcohol as a binder.
  • an exemplary such preform is designated by the reference numeral 7 and the silicon carbide non continuous fibers therein are generally designated as 9, was inserted into a stainless steel case 8 which was about 38 ⁇ 100 ⁇ 16 mm in dimensions and had at least one of its ends open, with the individual silicon carbide non continuous fibers 9 in said preform 7 being oriented as overlapping in a two dimensionally random manner in the plane parallel to the 38 ⁇ 100 mm plane while being stacked in the direction perpendicular to this plane.
  • each of these stainless steel cases 8 with its preform 7 held inside it was heated in an oven to a temperature of about 600° C. for about one hour, whereby in each case the polyvinyl alcohol binder originally soaked into said preform 7 was substantially completely dried out and removed.
  • each of these silicon carbide non continuous fiber material preforms 2 was subjected to high pressure casting together with an appropriate quantity of one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 described above, in substantially the same way as in the case of the first set of preferred embodiments described above, and thereby two sample pieces of composite material which had silicon carbide non continuous fiber material as reinforcing material were formed for each one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 as matrix metal, with the volume proportions of silicon carbide non continuous fibers in these two resulting composite material sample pieces being approximately 40% and approximately 20%.
  • FIG. 5 relates to the 42 of the test samples which had fiber volume proportions of approximately 40%
  • FIG. 6 relates to the 42 of the test samples which had fiber volume proportions of approximately 20%.
  • 5 and 6 shows the relation between silicon content (in percent) shown along the horizontal axis and the bending strength (in kg/mm 2 ) shown along the vertical axis of certain of the composite material test pieces having as matrix metals aluminum alloys with percentage content of silicon as shown along the horizontal axis and with percentage content of copper fixed along said line graph, and having as reinforcing material the silicon carbide fibers specified above, in the respective fiber volume proportion.
  • the copper content it is considered to be preferable for the copper content to be between approximately 2% and approximately 6%. Further, it will be seen that, again both in the case that the volume proportion of the reinforcing silicon carbide fiber material was approximately 40% and in the case that said fiber volume proportion was approximately 20%, when the silicon content was between the more intermediate points of approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%, except in the extreme cases that the copper content was approximately 1.5% or was approximately 6.5%, the bending strength of the composite material was significantly greater than when the silicon content was either at the low extreme of approximately 0% or at the high extreme of approximately 4%.
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was approximately 2%.
  • the copper content had a relatively high value within the range of approximately 5% to 6%
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was between approximately 0.5% and approximately 1%. Accordingly, it will be understood that, again, it is considered to be preferable for the silicon content to be between approximately 0.5% and approximately 3%.
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 are generally much higher than the typical bending strengths of respectively approximately 63 kg/mm 2 and approximately 55 kg/mm 2 attained in the conventional art for a composite material using as matrix metal a conventionally so utilized aluminum alloy of JIS standard AC4C and using a similar slicon carbide non continuous type fiber material as reinforcing material in the similar respective fiber volume proportions of 40% and 20%.
  • the bending strength values are respectively between approximately 1.6 and approximately 1.8 times, and between approximately 1.4 and approximately 1.6 times, the abovementioned typical bending strengths of approximately 63 kg/mm 2 and approximately 55 kg/mm 2 attained by the above mentioned conventional composite materials.
  • the present inventors manufactured further samples of various composite materials, again utilizing as reinforcing material the same silicon carbide non continuous type fiber material, and utilizing as matrix metal substantially the same 42 types of Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloys, but this time employing a fiber volume proportion of only approximately 15%. Then the present inventors again conducted evaluations of the bending strength of the various resulting composite material sample pieces.
  • a set of 42 aluminum alloys the same as those utilized in the first and the second set of preferred embodiments were produced in the same manner as before, again having as base material aluminum and having various quantities of silicon and copper mixed therewith.
  • an appropriate number of silicon carbide non continuous type fiber material preforms were as before made by the method disclosed above with respect to the second set of preferred embodiment, each of said silicon carbide non continuous type fiber material preforms now having a fiber volume proportion of approximately 15%, by contrast to the second set of preferred embodiments described above.
  • These preforms had substantially the same dimensions as the preforms of the first and second sets of preferred embodiments.
  • each of these silicon carbide non continuous fiber type material preforms was subjected to high pressure casting together with an appropriate quantity of one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 described above, utilizing operational parameters substantially as before.
  • the solidified aluminum alloy mass with the preform included therein was then removed from the casting mold, and the peripheral portion of said solidified aluminum alloy mass was machined away, leaving only a sample piece of composite material which had silicon carbide non continuous type fiber material as reiforcing material and the appropriate one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 as matrix metal.
  • the volume proportion of silicon carbide fibers in each of the resulting composite material sample pieces was thus now approximately 15%.
  • post processing steps were performed on the composite material samples, substantially as before.
  • FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 3 relating to the first set of preferred embodiments and to FIGS. 5 and 6 relating to the second set of preferred embodiments.
  • FIG. 7 there are shown relations between silicon content and the bending strength (in kg/mm 2 ) of certain of the composite material test pieces, for percentage contents of copper fixed along the various lines thereof.
  • the volume proportion of the reinforcing silicon carbide fiber material was approximately 15%, substantially irrespective of the silicon content of the aluminum alloy matrix metal of the bending strength composite material test pieces, when the copper content was either at the low extreme of approximately 1.5% or at the high extreme of approximately 6.5% the bending strength of the composite material had a relatively low value; and, contrariwise, when the copper content was between the more intermediate points of approximately 2% and approximately 6%, except in the extreme cases that the silicon content was approximately 0% or was approximately 4%, the bending strength of the composite material was considerably higher than when the copper content was either at the low extreme of approximately 1.5% or at the high extreme of approximately 6.5%.
  • the copper content it is considered to be preferable for the copper content to be between approximately 2% and approximately 6%. Further, it will be seen that, in this case that the volume proportion of the reinforcing silicon carbide non continuous fiber material was approximately 15%, when the silicon content was between the more intermediate points of approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%, except in the extreme cases that the copper content was approximately 1.5% or was approximately 6.5%, the bending strength of the composite material was significantly greater than when the silicon content was either at the low extreme of approximately 0% or at the high extreme of approximately 4%. And, particularly in the case that the copper content had a relatively low value within the range of approximately 2% to 4%, the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was approximately 2%.
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was approximately 1%. Accordingly, it will be understood that, again, it is considered to be preferable for the silicon content to be between approximately 0.5% and approximately 3%.
  • the bending strength value is between approximately 1.3 and approximately 1.6 times the abovementioned typical bending strength of approximately 53 kg/mm 2 attained by the above mentioned conventional composite material.
  • the present inventors manufactured further samples of various composite materials, this time utilizing as reinforcing material the same silicon carbide whisker type short type fiber material as utilized in the first set of preferred embodiments described above, and utilizing as matrix metal substantially the same 42 types of Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloys, but this time employing fiber volume proportions of only approximately 10% and 5%. Then the present inventors again conducted evaluations of the bending strength of the various resulting composite material sample pieces.
  • a set of 42 aluminum alloys the same as those utilized in the previously described sets of preferred embodiments were produced in the same manner as before, again having as base material aluminum and having various quantities of silicon and copper mixed therewith.
  • an appropriate number (actually 84) of silicon carbide whisker type short type fiber material preforms were as before made by the method disclosed above with respect to the first set of preferred embodiments, each of a first set (in number 42) of said silicon carbide whisker type short type fiber material preforms now having a fiber volume proportion of approximately 10%, and each of a second set (also in number 42) of said silicon carbide whisker type short type fiber material preforms now having a fiber volume proportion of approximately 5%, by contrast to the first set of preferred embodiments described above.
  • These preforms had substantially the same dimensions as the preforms of the previously described sets of preferred embodiments.
  • each of these silicon carbide whisker type short fiber type material preforms was subjected to high pressure casting together with an appropriate quantity of one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 described above, utilizing operational parameters substantially as before.
  • the solidified aluminum alloy mass with the preform included therein was then removed from the casting mold, and the peripheral portion of said solidified aluminum alloy mass was machined away, leaving only a sample piece of composite material which had silicon carbide whisker type short type fiber material as reinforcing material and the appropriate one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 as matrix metal.
  • the volume proportion of silicon carbide whisker type short fibers in each of the resulting composite material sample pieces was thus now either approximately 10% or approximately 5%.
  • post processing steps were performed on the composite material samples, substantially as before.
  • FIGS. 8 and 9 correspond to FIG. 3 relating to the first set of preferred embodiments, to FIGS. 5 and 6 relating to the second set of preferred embodiments, and to FIG. 7 relating to the third set of preferred embodiments.
  • FIGS. 8 and 9 again there are shown relations between silicon content and the bending strength (in kg/mm 2 ) of certain of the composite material test pieces, for percentage contents of copper fixed along the various lines thereof.
  • the copper content it is considered to be preferable for the copper content to be between approximately 2% and approximately 6%. Further, it will be seen that, in both these cases that the volume proportion of the reinforcing silicon carbide whisker type short fiber material was approximately 10% and was approximately 5%, when the silicon content was between the more intermediate points of approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%, except in the extreme cases that the copper content was approximately 1.5% or was approximately 6.5%, the bending strength of the composite material was significantly greater than when the silicon content was either at the low extreme of approximately 0% or at the high extreme of approximately 4%.
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was approximately 2%.
  • the copper content had a relatively high value within the range of approximately 5% to approximately 6%
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was approximately 1%. Accordingly, it will be understood that, again, it is considered to be preferable for the silicon content to be between approximately 0.5% and approximately 3%.
  • the values in FIGS. 8 and 9 are generally much higher than the typical bending strengths of respectively approximately 50 kg/mm 2 and approximately b 46 kg/mm 2 attained in the conventional art for composite materials using as matrix metal a conventionally so utilized aluminum alloy of JIS standard AC4C and using a similar silicon carbide whisker type short type fiber material as reinforcing material in the similar fiber volume proportions of respectively approximately 10% and approximately 5%.
  • the bending strength values are respectively between approximately 1.3 and approximately 1.5 times, and between approximately 1.2 and approximately 1.4 times, the abovementioned typical bending strengths of respectively approximately 50 kg/mm 2 and approximately 46 kg/mm 2 attained by the above mentioned conventional composite materials.
  • the copper content of said Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloy matrix metal should be in the range of from approximately 2% to approximately 6% while the silicon content of said Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloy matrix metal should be in the range of from approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%.
  • a different type of reinforcing fiber was chosen.
  • the present inventors manufactured by using the high pressure casting method samples of various composite materials, utilizing as reinforcing material silicon nitride whisker material made by Tateho Kagaku K.K., which was a material with average fiber diameter 1 micron and average fiber length 100 microns, and utilizing as matrix metal Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloys of various compositions. Then the present inventors conducted evaluations of the bending strength of the various resulting composite material sample pieces.
  • a set of aluminum alloys the same as those designated as A1through A42 for the first four sets of preferred embodiments were produced in the same manner as before, and an appropriate number (in fact, 126) of silicon nitride whisker material preforms were then made by applying compression forming to masses of the above described silicon nitride short fiber material, without using any binder, in the same way as in the first set of preferred embodiments described above.
  • Each of the resulting silicon nitride whisker material preforms had dimensions and three dimensional substantially random fiber orientation characteristics substantially as in the first set of preferred embodiments, and: one third of them (i.e. 42) had a volume proportion of the silicon nitride short fibers of approximately 40%; another third of them (i.e. another 42) had a volume proportion of the silicon nitride short fibers of approximately 30%; and the other third of them (i.e. the remaining 42) had a volume proportion of the silicon nitride short fibers of approximately 20%.
  • each of these silicon nitride whisker material preforms was subjected to high pressure casting together with an appropriate quantitiy of one of the aluminum alloys A1through A42 described above, utilizing operational parameters substantially as in the first set of preferred embodiments.
  • the solidified aluminum alloy mass with the preform included therein was then removed from the casting mold, and the peripheral portion of said solidified aluminum alloy mass was machined away, leaving, in each case, only a sample piece of composite material which had silicon nitride fiber whisker material as reinforcing material and the appropriate one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 as matrix metal.
  • the volume proportion of silicon nitride fibers in a third of the resulting composite material sample pieces was thus now approximately 40%, while in another third of said resulting composite material sample pieces the volume proportion of silicon nitride fibers was now approximately 30%, and in the remaining third of said resulting composite material sample pieces the volume proportion of silicon nitride fibers was now approximately 20%.
  • post processing steps of liquidizing processing and artificial aging processing were performed on the composite material samples, substantially as before. From each of the composite material sample pieces manufactured as described above, to which heat treatment had been applied, there was cut a bending strength test piece of dimensions substantially as before. And then, for each these composite material bending strength test pieces, a bending strength test was carried out, again substantially as before and utilizing the same operational parameters.
  • FIGS. 10 through 12 for this fifth set of preferred embodiments of the present invention correspond to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, and FIGS. 8 and 9, respectively relating to the first, the second, the third, and the fourth sets of preferred embodiments described above.
  • FIGS. 10 through 12 again there are shown relations between silicon content and the bending strength (in kg/mm 2 ) of certain of the composite material test pieces, for percentage contents of copper fixed along the various lines thereof.
  • the copper content it is considered to be preferable for the copper content to be between approximately 2% and approximately 6%. Further, it will be seen that, in all three of these cases that the volume proportion of the reinforcing silicon nitride whisker type short fiber material was approximately 40%, was approximately 30%, and was approximately 20%, when the silicon content was between the more intermediate points of approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%, except in the extreme cases that the copper content was approximately 1.5% or was approximately 6.5%, the bending strength of the composite material was significantly greater than when the silicon content was either at the low extreme of approximately 0% or at the high extreme of approximately 4%.
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was approximately 2%.
  • the copper content had a relatively high value within the range of approximately 5% to approximately 6%
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was from approximately 0.5% to approximately 1%. Accordingly, it will be understood that, again, it is considered to be preferable for the silicon content to be between approximately 0.5% and approximately 3%.
  • FIGS. 10 through 12 are generally much higher than the typical bending strengths of respectively approximately 60 kg/mm 2 , approximately 57 kg/mm 2 , and approximately 53 kg/mm 2 attained in the conventional art for composite materials using as matrix metal a conventionally so utilized aluminum alloy of JIS standard AC4C and using a similar silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material as reinforcing material in the similar fiber volume proportions of respectively approximately 40%, approximately 30%, and approximately 20%.
  • the bending strength values are respectively between approximately 1.5 and approximately 1.8 times, between approximately 1.4 and approximately 1.6 times, and between approximately 1.3 and approximately 1.6 times, the abovementioned typical bending strengths of respectively approximately 50 kg/mm 2 and approximately 46 kg/mm 2 attained by the above mentioned conventional composite materials.
  • the present inventors manufactured further samples of various composite materials, this time utilizing as reinforcing material the same silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material as utilized in the fifth set of preferred embodiments described above, and utilizing as matrix metal substantially the same 42 types of Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloys, but this time employing silicon nitride fiber volume proportions of only approximately 10% and 5%. Then the present inventors again conducted evaluations of the bending strength of the various resulting composite material sample pieces.
  • a set of 42 aluminum alloys the same as those utilized in the previously described sets of preferred embodiments were produced in the same manner as before, again having as base material aluminum and having various quantities of silicon and copper mixed therewith.
  • an appropriate number (actually 84) of silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material preforms were as before made by the method disclosed above with respect to the first set of preferred embodiments, each of a first set (in number 42) of said silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material preforms now having a fiber volume proportion of approximately 10%, and each of a second set (also in number 42) of said silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material preforms now having a fiber volume proportion of approximately 5%.
  • These preforms again had substantially the same dimensions as the preforms of the previously described sets of preferred embodiments.
  • each of these silicon nitride whisker type short fiber type material preforms was subjected to high pressure casting together with an appropriate quantity of one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 described above, utilizing operational parameters substantially as before.
  • the solidified aluminum alloy mass with the preform included therein was then removed from the casting mold, and the peripheral portion of said solidified aluminum alloy mass was machined away, leaving only a sample piece of composite material which had silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material as reinforcing material and the appropriate one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 as matrix metal.
  • the volume proportion of silicon nitride whisker type short fibers in each of the resulting composite material sample pieces was thus now either approximately 10% or approximately 5%.
  • FIGS. 13 and 14 correspond to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, FIGS. 8 and 9, and FIGS. 10 through 12 respectively relating to the first, the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth sets of preferred embodiments described above.
  • FIGS. 13 and 14 again there are shown relations between silicon content and the bending strength (in kg/mm 2 ) of certain of the composite material test pieces, for percentage contents of copper fixed along the various lines thereof.
  • the copper content it is considered to be preferable for the copper content to be between approximately 2% and approximately 6%. Further, it will be seen that, in both these cases that the volume proportion of the reinforcing silicon nitride whisker type short fiber material was approximately 10% and was approximately 5%, when the silicon content was between the more intermediate points of approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%, except in the extreme cases that the copper content was approximately 1.5% or was approximately 6.5%, the bending strength of the composite material was significantly greater than when the silicon content was either at the low extreme of approximately 0% or at the high extreme of approximately 4%.
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was approximately 2%.
  • the copper content had a relatively high value within the range of approximately 5% to approximately 6%
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was approximately 1%. Accordingly, it will be understood that, again, it is considered to be preferable for the silicon content to be between approximately 0.5% and approximately 3%.
  • the values in FIGS. 13 and 14 are generally much higher than the typical bending strengths of respectively approximately 47 kg/mm 2 and approximately 44 kg/mm 2 attained in the conventional art for composite materials using as matrix metal a conventionally so utilized aluminum alloy of JIS standard AC4C and using a similar silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material as reinforcing material in the similar fiber volume proportions of respectively approximately 10% and approximately 5%.
  • the bending strength values are respectively between approximately 1.3 and approximately 1.5 times, and between approximately 1.2 and approximately 1.4 times, the abovementioned typical bending strengths of respectively approximately 47 kg/mm 2 and approximately 44 kg/mm 2 attained by the above mentioned conventional composite materials.
  • the copper content of said Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloy matrix metal should be in the range of from approximately 2% to approximately 6% while the silicon content of said Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloy matrix metal should be in the range of from approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%.
  • the present inventors manufactured further samples of various composite materials, this time utilizing as reinforcing material a mixture of silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber materials, and utilizing as matrix metal substantially the same 42 types of Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloys, and employing volume proportions of the mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride fiber of approximately 20% and 30%. Then the present inventors again conducted evaluations of the bending strength of the various resulting composite material sample pieces.
  • a set of 42 aluminum alloys the same as those utilized in the previously described sets of preferred embodiments were produced in the same manner as before, again having as base material aluminum and having various quantities of silicon and copper mixed therewith.
  • an appropriate number (actually 84) of mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material preforms were made by mixing together a quantity of the silicon carbide whisker type short fiber material disclosed above with respect to the first set of preferred embodiments and a quantity of the silicon nitride whisker type short fiber material disclosed above with respect to the fifth set of preferred embodiments.
  • Each of a first set (in number 42) of said mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material preforms was composed of substantially equal weight proportions of said silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fibers and having a total fiber volume proportion of approximately 20% (so that said silicon carbide whisker type short type fibers had a volume proportion of approximately 10% and also said silicon nitride whisker type short type fibers had a volume proportion of approximately 10%).
  • each of a second set (also in number 42) of said mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material preforms was composed of mutual weight proportions of said silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fibers of about three to one, and having a total fiber volume proportion of approximately 30% (so that said silicon carbide whisker type short type fibers had a volume proportion of approximately 22.5% and said silicon nitride whisker type short type fibers had a volume proportion of approximately 7.5%).
  • These preforms again had substantially the same dimensions as the preforms of the previously described sets of preferred embodiments; and the fiber directions were substantially randomly oriented in three dimensions within them.
  • each of these mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short fiber type material preforms was subjected to high pressure casting together with an appropriate quantity of one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 described above, utilizing operational parameters substantially as before.
  • the solidified aluminum alloy mass with the preform included therein was then removed from the casting mold, and the peripheral portion of said solidified aluminum alloy mass was machined away, leaving only a sample piece of composite material which had mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material as reinforcing material and the appropriate one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 as matrix metal.
  • the volume proportion of mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short fibers in each of the resulting composite material sample pieces was thus now either approximately 20% or approximately 30%.
  • post processing steps were performed on the composite material samples, substantially as before. From each of the composite material sample pieces manufactured as described above, to which heat treatment had been applied, there was cut a bending strength test piece of dimensions and parameters substantially as in the case of the first set of preferred embodiments, and for each of these composite material bending strength test pieces a bending strength test was carried out, again substantially as before.
  • FIGS. 15 and 16 correspond to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, FIGS. 8 and 9, FIGS. 10 through 12, and FIGS. 13 and 14 respectively relating to the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth sets of preferred embodiments described above.
  • FIGS. 15 and 16 again there are shown relations between silicon content and the bending strength (in kg/mm 2 ) of certain of the composite material test pieces, for percentage contents of copper fixed along the various lines thereof.
  • the copper content it is considered to be preferable for the copper content to be between approximately 2% and approximately 6%. Further, it will be seen that, in both these cases that the volume proportion of the reinforcing mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short fiber material was approximately 20% and was approximately 30%, when the silicon content was between the more intermediate points of approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%, except in the extreme cases that the copper content was approximately 1.5% or was approximately 6.5%, the bending strength of the composite material was significantly greater than when the silicon content was either at the low extreme of approximately 0% or at the high extreme of approximately 4%.
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon ciontent was approximately 2%.
  • the copper content had a relatively high value within the range of approximately 5% to approximately 6%
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was in the range from approximately 0.5% to approximately 1%. Accordingly, it will be understood that, again, it is considered to be preferable for the silicon content to be between approximately 0.5% and approximately 3%.
  • FIGS. 15 and 16 are generally much higher than the typical bending strengths of respectively approximately 54 kg/mm 2 and approximately 59 kg/mm 2 attained in the conventional art for composite materials using as matrix metal a conventionally so utilized aluminum alloy of JIS standard AC4C and using a similar mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material as reinforcing material in the similar fiber volume proportions of respectively approximately 20% and approximately 30%, with the relative proportions of silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material as specified above in each case.
  • the bending strength values are respectively between approximately 1.3 and approximately 1.5 times, and between approximately 1.4 and approximately 1.6 times, the abovementioned typical bending strengths of respectively approximately 54 kg/mm 2 and approximately 59 kg/mm 2 attained by the above mentioned conventional composite materials.
  • the present inventors manufactured further samples of various composite materials, this time again utilizing as reinforcing material a mixture of silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber materials, and utilizing as matrix metal substantially the same 42 types of Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloys, and employing volume proportions of the mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride fiber this time of approximately 10%. Then the present inventors again conducted evaluations of the bending strength of the various resulting composite material sample pieces.
  • a set of 42 aluminum alloys the same as those utilized in the previously described sets of preferred embodiments were produced in the same manner as before, again having as base material aluminum and having various quantities of silicon and copper mixed therewith.
  • an appropriate number (actually 42) of mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material preforms were made by mixing together a quantity of the silicon carbide whisker type short fiber material disclosed above with respect to the first set of preferred embodiments and a quantity of the silicon nitride whisker type short fiber material disclosed above with respect to the fifth set of preferred embodiments, the mutual weight proportions of said silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fibers being about one to three, and said preforms having a total fiber volume proportion of approximately 10% (so that said silicon carbide whisker type short type fibers had a volume proportion of approximately 2.5% and said silicon nitride whisker type short type fibers had a volume proportion of approximately 7.5%).
  • These preforms again had substantially the same dimensions as the preforms
  • each of these mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short fiber type material preforms was subjected to high pressure casting together with an appropriate quantity of one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 described above, utilizing operational parameters substantially as before.
  • the solidified aluminum alloy mass with the preform included therein was then removed from the casting mold, and the peripheral portion of said solidified aluminum alloy mass was machined away, leaving only a sample piece of composite material which had mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material as reinforcing material and the appropriate one of the aluminum alloys A1 through A42 as matrix metal.
  • the volume proportion of mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short fibers in each of the resulting composite material sample pieces was thus now approximately 10%.
  • post processing steps were performed on the composite material samples, substantially as before. From each of the composite material sample pieces manufactured as described above, to which heat treatment had been applied, there was cut a bending strength test piece of dimensions and parameters substantially as in the case of the first set of preferred embodiments, and for each of these composite material bending strength test pieces a bending strength test was carried out, again substantially as before.
  • FIG. 17 corresponds to FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 7, FIGS. 8 and 9, FIGS. 10 through 12, FIGS. 13 and 14, and FIGS. 15 and 16 respectively relating to the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh sets of preferred embodiments described above.
  • FIG. 17 again there are shown relations between silicon content and the bending strength (in kg/mm 2 ) of certain of the composite material test pieces, for percentage contents of copper fixed along the various lines thereof.
  • the volume proportion of the reinforcing mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short fiber material was approximately 10%, substantially irrespective of the silicon content of the aluminum alloy matrix metal of the bending strength composite material test pieces, when the copper content was either at the low extreme of approximately 1.5% or at the high extreme of approximately 6.5% the bending strength of the composite material had a relatively low value; and, contrariwise, when the copper content was between the more intermediate points of approximately 2% and approximately 6%, except in the extreme cases that the silicon content was approximately 0% or was approximately 4%, the bending strength of the composite material was considerably higher than when the copper content was either at the low extreme of approximately 1.5% or at the high extreme of approximately 6.5%.
  • the copper content it is considered to be preferable for the copper content to be between approximately 2% and approximately 6%. Further, it will be seen that, in this case that the volume proportion of the reinforcing mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short fiber material was approximately 10%, when the silicon content was between the more intermediate points of approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%, except in the extreme cases that the copper content was approximately 1.5% or was approximately 6.5%, the bending strength of the composite material was significantly greater than when the silicon content was either at the low extreme of approximately 0% or at the high extreme of approximately 4%.
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was approximately 2%.
  • the copper content had a relatively high value within the range of approximately 5% to approximately 6%
  • the bending strength of the composite material attained a substantially maximum value when the silicon content was approximately 1%. Accordingly, it will be understood that, again, it is considered to be preferable for the silicon content to be between approximately 0.5% and approximately 3%.
  • the values in FIG. 17 are generally much higher than the typical bending strength of approximately 48 kg/mm 2 attained in the conventional art for a composite material using as matrix metal a conventionally so utilized aluminum alloy of JIS standard AC4C and using a similar mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material as reinforcing material in the similar fiber volume proportions of approximately 10%, with the relative proportions of silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker type short type fiber material as specified above being about one to three.
  • the bending strength value is between approximately 1.3 and approximately 1.5 times the abovementioned typical bending strength of approximately 48 kg/mm 2 attained by the above mentioned conventional composite material.
  • the copper content of said Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloy matrix metal should be in the range of from approximately 2% to approximately 6% while the silicon content of said Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloy matrix metal should be in the range of from approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%.
  • the copper content of the Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloy matrix metal is in the range of from approximately 2% to approximately 6%, and that it is preferable that the silicon content of said Al-Cu-Si type aluminum alloy matrix metal should be in the range of from approximately 0.5% to approximately 3%, it next was deemed germane to provide a set of tests to establish what fiber volume proportion of the reinforcing silicon carbide short fibers, or silicon nitride short fibers, or mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride short fibers, as the case may be, is most appropriate.
  • an appropriate number (in fact seven in each case) of preforms made of silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker material hereinafter denoted respectively as B1 through B7, C1 through C7, and D1 through D7, were made by subjecting quantities of, respectively, the silicon carbide whisker material utilized in the case of the first set of preferred embodiments described above, the silicon nitride whisker material utilized in the case of the fifth set of preferred embodiments described above, and the evenly one to one mixed silicon carbide and silicon nitride whisker material utilized in the case of some of the seventh set of preferred embodiments described above, to compression forming without using any binder in the same manner as in the first set of preferred embodiments, the various ones in each set of said silicon carbide and/or silicon nitride whisker material preforms having fiber volume proportions of approximately 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%.
  • each of these silicon carbide and/or silicon nitride whisker material preforms was subjected to high pressure casting together with an appropriate quantity of one of the aluminum alloy matrix metals described above, utilizing operational parameters substantially as before.
  • the solidified aluminum alloy mass with the preform included therein was then removed from the casting mold, and as before the peripheral portion of said solidified aluminum alloy mass was machined away, leaving only a sample piece of composite material which had silicon carbide and/or silicon nitride fiber whisker material as reinforcing material in the appropriate fiber volume proportion and the described aluminum alloy as matrix metal.
  • the fiber volume proportion of the silicon carbide and/or silicon nitride short fiber reinforcing material should be in the range of from approximately 5% to approximately 50%, and more preferably should be in the range of from approximately 5% to approximately 40%.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
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  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Alloys Or Alloy Compounds (AREA)
US06/901,196 1985-09-02 1986-08-28 Composite material including silicon carbide and/or silicon nitride short fibers as reinforcing material and aluminum alloy with copper and relatively small amount of silicon as matrix metal Expired - Lifetime US4720434A (en)

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JP60-193416 1985-09-02
JP60193416A JPS6254045A (ja) 1985-09-02 1985-09-02 炭化ケイ素及び窒化ケイ素短繊維強化アルミニウム合金

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US (1) US4720434A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
EP (1) EP0213615B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS6254045A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AU (1) AU572736B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA1289778C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE3677290D1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5083602A (en) * 1990-07-26 1992-01-28 Alcan Aluminum Corporation Stepped alloying in the production of cast composite materials (aluminum matrix and silicon additions)
US5108964A (en) * 1989-02-15 1992-04-28 Technical Ceramics Laboratories, Inc. Shaped bodies containing short inorganic fibers or whiskers and methods of forming such bodies
US5148259A (en) * 1986-08-19 1992-09-15 Fujitsu Limited Semiconductor device having thin film wiring layer of aluminum containing carbon
US5153057A (en) * 1989-02-15 1992-10-06 Technical Ceramics Laboratories, Inc. Shaped bodies containing short inorganic fibers or whiskers within a metal matrix
US5477905A (en) * 1988-06-17 1995-12-26 Massachusettes Institute Of Technology Composites and method therefor
US5972071A (en) * 1997-07-17 1999-10-26 Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha Aluminum alloy for piston and method for producing piston
US6486542B1 (en) * 1998-07-28 2002-11-26 Ngk Insulators, Ltd Semiconductor-supporting devices, processes for the production of the same, joined bodies and processes for the production of the same
US20160144601A1 (en) * 2013-07-09 2016-05-26 United Technologies Corporation Reinforced plated polymers

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5006417A (en) * 1988-06-09 1991-04-09 Advanced Composite Materials Corporation Ternary metal matrix composite
US5106702A (en) * 1988-08-04 1992-04-21 Advanced Composite Materials Corporation Reinforced aluminum matrix composite
AU6390790A (en) * 1989-10-30 1991-05-02 Lanxide Corporation Anti-ballistic materials and methods of making the same
JPH072980B2 (ja) * 1990-09-20 1995-01-18 大同メタル工業株式会社 複合摺動材料

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US3180727A (en) * 1962-02-20 1965-04-27 Du Pont Composition containing a dispersionhardening phase and a precipitation-hardening phase and process for producing the same
US3492119A (en) * 1965-11-29 1970-01-27 Robert A Rosenberg Filament reinforced metals
US3600163A (en) * 1968-03-25 1971-08-17 Int Nickel Co Process for producing at least one constituent dispersed in a metal
US4152149A (en) * 1974-02-08 1979-05-01 Sumitomo Chemical Company, Ltd. Composite material comprising reinforced aluminum or aluminum-base alloy

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US3441392A (en) * 1967-03-27 1969-04-29 Melpar Inc Preparation of fiber-reinforced metal alloy composites by compaction in the semimolten phase
FR1556070A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1968-03-04 1969-01-31
EP0074067B1 (en) * 1981-09-01 1986-01-29 Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited Method for the preparation of fiber-reinforced metal composite material
KR920008955B1 (ko) * 1984-10-25 1992-10-12 도요다 지도오샤 가부시끼가이샤 결정질 알루미나 실리카 섬유강화 금속복합재료
DE3686209T2 (de) * 1985-06-21 1993-02-25 Ici Plc Faserverstaerkte verbundwerkstoffe mit metallischer matrix.
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US3180727A (en) * 1962-02-20 1965-04-27 Du Pont Composition containing a dispersionhardening phase and a precipitation-hardening phase and process for producing the same
US3492119A (en) * 1965-11-29 1970-01-27 Robert A Rosenberg Filament reinforced metals
US3600163A (en) * 1968-03-25 1971-08-17 Int Nickel Co Process for producing at least one constituent dispersed in a metal
US4152149A (en) * 1974-02-08 1979-05-01 Sumitomo Chemical Company, Ltd. Composite material comprising reinforced aluminum or aluminum-base alloy

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5148259A (en) * 1986-08-19 1992-09-15 Fujitsu Limited Semiconductor device having thin film wiring layer of aluminum containing carbon
US5477905A (en) * 1988-06-17 1995-12-26 Massachusettes Institute Of Technology Composites and method therefor
US5108964A (en) * 1989-02-15 1992-04-28 Technical Ceramics Laboratories, Inc. Shaped bodies containing short inorganic fibers or whiskers and methods of forming such bodies
US5153057A (en) * 1989-02-15 1992-10-06 Technical Ceramics Laboratories, Inc. Shaped bodies containing short inorganic fibers or whiskers within a metal matrix
US5083602A (en) * 1990-07-26 1992-01-28 Alcan Aluminum Corporation Stepped alloying in the production of cast composite materials (aluminum matrix and silicon additions)
US5402843A (en) * 1990-07-26 1995-04-04 Alcan Aluminum Corporation Stepped alloying in the production of cast composite materials
US5972071A (en) * 1997-07-17 1999-10-26 Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha Aluminum alloy for piston and method for producing piston
US6486542B1 (en) * 1998-07-28 2002-11-26 Ngk Insulators, Ltd Semiconductor-supporting devices, processes for the production of the same, joined bodies and processes for the production of the same
US20160144601A1 (en) * 2013-07-09 2016-05-26 United Technologies Corporation Reinforced plated polymers

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU572736B2 (en) 1988-05-12
EP0213615A2 (en) 1987-03-11
DE3677290D1 (de) 1991-03-07
EP0213615A3 (en) 1988-01-13
AU6189986A (en) 1987-03-19
EP0213615B1 (en) 1991-01-30
CA1289778C (en) 1991-10-01
JPS6254045A (ja) 1987-03-09
JPH0142340B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1989-09-12

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